Sunday, 15 June 2014

Utsubora the Story of a Novelist Story & Art by Asumiko
Nakamura Review

Jun
Mizorogi is a famous novelist but not all is what it seems with him. Upon
hearing of the death of a fan of his he meets her twin sister. Along the way he
is caught in the act of attempting plagiarism. Thus begins his downward descent
into madness.

Serialized
in Manga Erotics F, Utsubora is a fascinating story of a novelist’s downward spiral.
Nakamura’s artwork is gorgeous. There’s not a character that is not well
developed; each character is a cog in a rather refined clockwork puzzle.

That
being said the book is not without flaw. It is rather long and lacks cohesion
in parts. In the end, I was not entirely clear on all the details as it became
rather complicated. That being said, it was nonetheless a compelling read for
adult readers.

While
playing a popular video game, Kirito finds himself, along with several thousand
other people, trapped in the game. The only means of returning to the real
world is to defeat the game. Can Kirito make it out? And who will he meet along
the way?

Based
on a light novel by Reki Kawahara, Sword Art Online suffers greatly from an
incredibly unnecessary and deeply disturbing second half. The uncomfortable
elements introduced later on clearly serve no other purpose than too presumably
titillate the show’s target demographic. The show is not clever enough to be
making any sort of commentary; it is pure wish fulfillment as exhibited by the
blank slate protagonist Kirito.

It
leaves a very fowl taste in the viewer’s mouth upon completion. Frankly, there
are thousands of other shows one could watch that would leave a better impression
than this. The first half, at the very least, has some redeeming aspects. The
concept is interesting enough to carry the series for that first bit but the
during the Fairy Dance arc is a long downward slide for the series it never
recovers from.

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

More than 500 VIZ Media manga titles are now available
on comiXology throughout North America including NARUTO,
ONE PIECE, BLEACH, & more!

June
10th, 2014 – New York, NY / San Francisco, CA – Today comiXology, the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics
platform, and VIZ Media, the largest distributor and licensor of manga and
anime in North America, announced a digital distribution agreement to bring
fan-favorite manga series to comiXology’s entire platform across North America.

To celebrate this announcement, VIZ Media has
made available today more than 500 volumes of fan-favorite manga series on
comiXology including NARUTO, ONE PIECE, BLEACH, NANA & more! Manga fans
will be able to read all these great series using comiXology’s Manga Fixed
Format – a dedicated right-to-left full-page manga reading experience.

“Launching over 500 volumes of VIZ Media
manga is amazing for our manga fans,” said comiXology CEO David Steinberger. “The
addition of VIZ Media today marks a huge increase in our manga offerings and I,
for one, cannot wait to dive into today’s releases and the many thousands yet
to come.”

“We’re excited to bring our great catalog
of VIZ Media titles to comiXology,” said Gagan Singh, VIZ Media’s Executive
Vice President. “ComiXology is the premier destination for digital comics and
we’re happy to help make them the destination for manga. We can’t wait for manga
fans to experience comiXology’s high resolution Manga Fixed Format developed
especially for this content.”

The full list of manga titles launching
today on comiXology from VIZ Media include:

BAKUMAN – all
volumes

BLEACH – all
volumes and same day as print

BLUE EXORCIST

CLAYMORE

DEATH NOTE

DRAGON BALL FULL
COLOR (SAIYAJIN)

DRAGON BALL/
DRAGON BALL Z

HIKARU NO GO

KNIGHTS OF THE
ZODIAC

NANA

NARUTO

ONE PIECE

ONE-PUNCH MAN

ROSARIO +
VAMPIRE

ROSARIO +
VAMPIRE SEASON II

RUROUNI KENSHIN

RUROUNI KENSHIN:
RESTORATION

SHAMAN KING

TENJO TENGE

THE PRINCE OF
TENNIS

With over 50,000 comics and graphic novels
from more than 75 publishers, comiXology offers the widest selection of digital
comics in the world. ComiXology’s immense catalog and cinematic Guided View
reading experience makes it the best digital platform for comic and graphic
novel fans worldwide.

Find your favorite comics and graphic
novels at comixology.com and try the comiXology app available on all major
mobile platforms.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California,
VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles
direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation
companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions,
Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for
English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and
South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and
blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers
cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga,
science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are
available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films,
downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn
more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

About comiXology

ComiXology, an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary
(NASDAQ:AMZN), has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by
delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering,
buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology’s Guided View
reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and
cinematic experience, helping comiXology become a top ten grossing iPad app in
2011 and 2012 and the top grossing non-game iPad app in 2012 and 2013. Offering
the broadest library of comic book content from over 75 publishers – and
independent creators as well – comiXology will not stop until everyone on the
face of the planet has become a comic book fan. ComiXology is based in New York
City, with operations in Los Angeles and Paris. For more information visit
www.comixology.com.

Wednesday, 4 June 2014

New All-Ages Manga Adventure Inspired By The Latest Generation of Pokémon
Video Games Join an Expansive Catalog Of POKÉMON Manga Titles Published In
North America

San Francisco, CA, June 4,
2014 –
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and
manga in North America, has announced the acquisition of the domestic
publishing and digital media rights for the POKÉMON ADVENTURES X & Y manga
(graphic novel) series. The
manga is based on the Pokémon
X and Pokémon Y
video games, which launched globally for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems in
October 2013.

The new release will launch the latest story arc
for the popular entertainment property and joins VIZ Media’s expansive catalog
of POKÉMON manga and anime titles. The POKÉMON ADVENTURES X & Y series is
rated ‘A’ for All Ages and will debut its first volume in print and digitallyin December under the company’s
Perfect Square imprint. Future volumes of the series, which is also ongoing in
Japan, will be published twice yearly.

POKÉMON ADVENTURES X & Y
is written
by Hidenori Kusaka with artwork by Satoshi Yamamoto. As the
new Champion of the Pokémon Battle Junior Tournament in the Kalos region, X is
hailed as a child prodigy. But when all the media attention proves to be too
much for him, he holes up in his room to hide from everyone, including his best
friends. What will it take to get him to come out?! How about an attack on his
hometown of Vaniville Town by the two new Legendary Pokémon, Xerneas and
Yveltal, and a mysterious organization named Team Flare…?

“We
are proud to expand our Perfect Square manga catalog with the acquisition of POKÉMON
ADVENTURES X & Y and its positively themed story, dynamic characters and fun
cast of new Pokémon that is sure to delight young as well as adult readers,”
says Annette Roman, Editor. “We look forward to fans discovering the new series
later this year!”

POKÉMON is one of the most successful international
entertainment franchises of all time. More than 255 million POKÉMON video game
titles and 20 billion Pokémon Trading Cards have been sold to-date worldwide. Pokémon the Series: XY marked the 17th
season of POKÉMON animation andlaunched
in the U.S. on Cartoon Network in January 2014. VIZ Media and its Perfect
Square imprint are the official North American publishers of a variety of
popular POKÉMON manga graphic novel series such as POKÉMON ADVENTURES, POKÉMON
ADVENTURES: DIAMOND & PEARL, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: HEART/GOLD SOUL/SILVER, POKÉMON
ADVENTURES: BLACK & WHITE as well as a variety of POKÉMON animated feature
films.

VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint focuses on
delivering original comics, manga (graphic novels) and other all ages’ books
with an emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering
themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of a
whole new generation.

For more information on other manga titles from VIZ
Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About
VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered
in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the
best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.
Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies,
Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd.,
VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English
speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia,
New Zealand and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY
SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ
Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for
anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic
novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and
streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga
at www.VIZ.com.

VIZ MEDIA KICKS OFF SUMMER READING ACTION WITH A JUNE
DIGITAL MANGA UPDATE

Catch The
Exclusive Digital-First Debut Of Takeshi Obata’s

ALL YOU
NEED IS KILL, SERAPH OF THE END, And More

VIZ Media primes the summer reading season with a robust
digital update for June and invites fans and readers to explore the latest collection
of exciting releases available throughout the month.

New manga titles making their digital debut include
today’s launch of the Shonen Jump Advanced series, SERAPH OF THE END. The BOYS
OVER FLOWERS JEWELRY BOX shojo manga one-shot is scheduled for June 10th.

Fans also won’t want to miss the exclusive digital
premiere, the same day as Japan on June 19th of Vol. 1 of the riveting
manga adaptation of the sci-fi action drama – ALL YOU NEED IS KILL – by DEATH
NOTE/BAKUMAN creator Takeshi Obata. This 2-volume series adapts the acclaimed
Japanese novel by Hiroshi Sakurazaka (also available from VIZ Media/Haikasoru),
that also inspired Edge of Tomorrow,
the blockbuster summer action film starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The post
apocalyptic gothic vampire series, TRINITY BLOOD, rounds out new titles for the
month with its digital debut on June 24th.

Other
notable monthly updates to popular continuing manga series include DRAGON BALL
Full Color (Saiyajin) (Vol. 3) on June 3rd, DEADMAN WONDERLAND (Vol.
3) on June 10th, to be followed by ONE-PUNCH MAN (Vol. 3) and FUTURE
DIARY (Vol. 2) on June 24th. These new volumes join additions to 13
other popular VIZ Media series that will also be updated throughout the month
of June.

Readers can enjoy these new June manga updates that
are available on VIZManga.com
and the VIZ MANGA App for the iPad®, iPhone® and iPod®
touch, Android-powered smart phones and 7” tablets. The titles may also be
purchased through the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and GooglePlay stores. These
dynamic digital platforms offer fans the opportunity to explore and enjoy a
massive catalog of new and classic manga titles that spans more than 2,000
volumes across nearly 200 different series.

Titles
Available Now!

SERAPH OF
THE END, Vol. 1·Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens·

MSRP: $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) ·Available
Now!

After trumpets of the apocalypse
proclaim the fall of humanity, vampires arise from the shadows to rule the
earth. Yuichiro wants just one thing – to get revenge by killing each and every
vampire. In the opening volume, Yuichiro’s dream is near-impossible, given that
vampires are seven times stronger than humans, and the only way to kill them is
by mastering Cursed Gear, advanced demon-possessed weaponry. Not to mention
that humanity’s most elite Vampire Extermination Unit, the Moon Demon Company,
wants nothing to do with Yuichiro unless he can prove he’s willing to work in a
team – which is the last thing he wants!

One year after the original BOYS OVER FLOWERS
series ended, lives move on... Although Tsukushi
Makino is from a poor family, she attends an elite school for the super rich,
where her life has become intertwined with the "F4," the ruling boys
of the school, in a whirlwind of love and confusion!

ALL YOU
NEED IS KILL Vol. 1 ·Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens·

MSRP: $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) ·Available
June 19th!

Check out Takeshi Obata’s (DEATH NOTE,
BAKUMAN) hit adaptation of the riveting sci-fi action story in a special digital
release. When the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many
recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to
kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight
and die again and again. On his fifth iteration, he gets a message from a
mysterious ally – the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the
key to Keiji's escape or his final death?

In a dark and distant future,
Armageddon has given rise to the fabled Second Moon – and a perpetual war
between the vampires and the humans!Esther is a nun in the city of Istavan.
When she crosses paths with Abel Nightroad, a priest sent from the
Vatican to combat the local order of vampires, the pair forms a holy alliance
to battle the most evil of threats. In this gorgeous, gothic-action series -
part of the super-popular Trinity Blood franchise – the very
survival of the human race is at stake!

The
free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital
manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through
the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform registered users are able to use one
account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever. New series
and volumes are added every Tuesday. Fans can also find these titles and more for the NOOK,
Kindle Fire, and Kobo ereaders, as well as in the iBooks and GooglePlay Stores.

All manga volumes are available for purchase and
download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from
$6.99 (U.S. / CAN) each and readers can also explore all titles with free
Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

Download
the free VIZ Manga App for Android and iOS devices at www.VIZ.com/apps.